The following is a summary of fiscal 2000 state budgets for schools and highlights of education-related action in legislatures. The totals for K-12 education include money for state education administration, but do not include federal, flow-through dollars.
FLORIDA
Governor: Jeb Bush (R)
FY 2000 state budget: $48.9 billion
FY 2000 K-12 budget: $7.07 billion
FY 1999 K-12 budget: $6.73 billion
Percent change K-12 budget: +5.1 percent
Estimated enrollment: 2.3 million
Highlights:
- Total budget figure reflects local and state contributions and includes $1 billion package of tax cuts--largest in state history--that will provide homeowners with average annual savings of $100.
- In a precedent-setting move, lawmakers passed Gov. Bush’s statewide voucher plan, which will allow students at poor-performing schools to attend qualified public, private, or religious schools.
- Education spending plan collapses money for separate supplemental programs geared to boosting student achievement into one $527 million fund. Districts can now choose to spend the money on remedial instruction, reading initiatives, summer school, after-school programs, mentoring programs, or tutoring.
- Budget includes $34 million for teacher training and professional development as part of governor’s education reform initiative.
MINNESOTA
Governor: Jesse Ventura (Reform)
FY 2000-01 state budget: $23.4 billion
FY 2000-01 K-12 budget: $7.78 billion
FY 1998-99 K-12 budget: $7.48 billion
Percent change K-12 budget: +4 percent
Estimated enrollment: 847,000
Highlights:
- Budget provides largest increase in funding in 10 years, including $90 million to reduce class sizes in grades K-3 and $100 million to defray costs of special education.
- Unable to reach compromise on changes, lawmakers left in place state’s Profile of Learning, a controversial set of performance-based graduation requirements.
MISSISSIPPI
Governor: Kirk Fordice (R)
FY 2000 state budget: $3.85 billion
FY 2000 K-12 budget: $1.59 billion
FY 1999 K-12 budget: $1.44 billion
Percent change K-12 budget: +10.4 percent
Estimated enrollment: 502,000
Highlights:
- Budget includes 8 percent pay raise for teachers.
- Mississippi Student Achievement Improvement Act of 1999 will shift focus for accreditation from districts to include individual schools, which will be measured against annual performance standards.
- Lawmakers appropriated additional $500,000, bringing total to $3 million for the Critical Teacher Shortage Act. Programs include scholarships, moving expenses, and other incentives for people willing to teach in designated teacher-shortage areas.
